Railway Show Engines
by DonaldDouglasandToby6
Summary: Many adventures unfold after, before, and even during the events of The Great Railway Show. Ashima is sent to the Harwick Branch Line, Vinnie returns and wants revenge, and Gordon and Duck argue whether Flying Scotsman or City of Truro was the first engine to go 100 miles per hour.
1. Beauty and the Beast

The Fat Controller sighed as he sipped more of his coffee.

"I see the Great Railway Show didn't go as well as you had hoped?" asked the Thin Controller, who was joining him for breakfast.

"It could've gone better, I'll say that much," the Fat Controller muttered.

"Ah. Has it affected your income at all?"

"There hasn't been any decrease if that's what you mean, but I have been hearing people make queer jokes about my engines..."

"Don't listen to them, Topham. You and your engines did your best. Anyhow, I'm sure it'll pass in a few weeks' time."

"I know. At least, I hope it will..."

He was about to bite into a crumpet when he heard a light tapping at the door.

"Hmm... I wonder who that could be. Excuse me, Peregrine."

"Of course," the Thin Controller replied with a nod.

The Fat Controller opened the door to find the stationmaster in the doorway.

"Oh, hello Callum. What seems to be the matter?"

"Thomas is at the station, sir, with a foreign engine. I'm not sure what he wants; he just asked me to come and get you."

The Fat Controller groaned.

"Bother... My crumpets will have to wait... I'm terribly sorry Peregrine, but I'm afraid our conversation will have to wait."

The Thin Controller collected his coat from the rack.

"It's fine, Topham. I needed to go check on my engines anyway. Cheerio!"

"Cheerio," said his friend as he exited the office.

He stopped in surprise to find Thomas and Ashima on the two tracks closest to his office.

"Thomas? What's all this?" the Fat Controller asked, putting his hands on his hips.

Thomas chuckled sheepishly.

"I'm sorry to bother you, sir, but I have a bit of a problem. You remember Ashima, don't you?"

Ashima smiled nervously as the Fat Controller gazed at her.

"I think I do, yes. Wasn't she the engine you let win the shunting competition?"

Thomas blushed in embarrassment as Ashima giggled.

"Maybe, that's not important. Anyway, Ashima's ship isn't going to be coming for at least a week, so she needs some work to do until then. Is there any job that's available for her?"

The Fat Controller rubbed his chin.

"Hmm, I wasn't exactly expecting another engine..."

Thomas and Ashima glanced at each other anxiously as the Fat Controller snapped his fingers.

"The Harwick Branch Line is rather busy at the moment, and Daisy's being worked off her wheels. Perhaps Ashima could take some passenger services up there, and goods if need be." He glanced at the Indian engine. "Would you like that, Ashima?"

Ashima grinned.

"Oh, that would be delightful, sir! It is an honor to work on your railway."

She noticed Thomas' frown and smiled sadly.

"I'm sorry we can't work together, Thomas."

Thomas chuckled dismissively.

"I'm sure we'll be seeing each other often. Don't worry about it."

"If you say so. When do I leave, sir?"

"Right now would be alright."

"I suppose I'll be off then! Bye, Thomas!"

Ashima whistled and slowly puffed away. Thomas smiled, glad to see his new friend was making the best of her temporary working place.

* * *

The sheds at Arlesburgh Yard were quiet. Ryan opened a sleepy eye in the shed. He yawned as both eyes fluttered open to the new day.

"Good morning, Daisy!" he said happily, glancing at his fellow companion.

The diesel railcar glared at Ryan, immediately telling him he was in for a rough morning.

"Does it look like I'll have a good morning, Ryan? Because I won't! I'll be overstuffed with passengers again like I have been throughout the past few days!"

"But... I thought you liked pulling passengers," said Ryan in confusion.

"I do, but I _don't_ want five per seat! Every time that happens I get cramps! Then, everyone just says I'm lazy! Huh! No-one understands what I go through!"

She scowled as she eyed the number of passengers on the station platform.

"I'm just happy this new line's doing so well," Ryan replied optimistically, "I've never seen so many passengers before!"

"Neither have I," muttered Daisy with disapproval, "If the Fat Controller doesn't send another engine to help us, I'll be so tired I'll feel I'm on my roof instead of my wheels!"

"But... you're on your wheels, not your roof," said Ryan, bewildered.

Daisy rolled her eyes.

"Yes, brilliant deduction, Ryan."

Suddenly, to the two engines' surprise, a foreign whistle blew from nearby.

"Who is that?" Ryan asked curiously.

"How should I know?" Daisy snapped, "Do I look like an encyclopedia to you?"

Ryan looked down at his buffers.

"I never said you would..."

Daisy sniffed, just as a brightly-painted engine puffed up to the shed.

"Um... excuse me?" she asked politely, "This is Arlesburgh, isn't it?"

Daisy and Ryan exchanged a look.

"Yes," Ryan finally said slowly, "It is."

The engine sighed with relief.

"Oh, thank goodness for that! When I first came here, I got lost trying to find the Mainland!"

Seeing the two confused, the engine chuckled.

"It's a long story. I can tell you later if you'd like."

Ryan smiled.

"I'd like-"

"What _I_ want to know is what you're doing here," Daisy interjected, "All you're doing right now is taking up space!"

The engine looked hurt.

"I'm truly sorry," she said apologetically, "I suppose I should've been more clear about my objective. I'm here to work with you for a week, I believe. My name is Ashima, by the way."

Daisy's eyes narrowed.

"Well, find some coaches and get to Arlesburgh Junction then. At least I get a rest..."

Daisy yawned and slammed her eyes shut. Ashima frowned and slowly backed away to the yard. Ryan glanced at her apologetically before glaring at Daisy.

"You could've been nicer to her, you know. She's only a newcomer."

Daisy opened an eye.

"Does it look like I care? You know I'm cranky when I'm tired. Shut up now."

Ryan rolled his eyes.

* * *

Ashima eyed a couple red coaches that were sitting on a siding.

"Hopefully these will do," she said as a shunter coupled her up.

Quickly, Ashima pulled into the station. The passengers' jaws dropped as she came to a halt.

"Who's this?" one man asked, "I haven't ever seen such an engine before."

"She looks Indian," observed an Indian woman, "I recall seeing those types of engines before on the Nilgiri Mountain Railway."

"Wherever she's from, she's very well-decorated. I'd argue even more so than Daisy."

"I agree; there's simply no contest."

Ashima blushed modestly as the passengers boarded the train.

"Thank you," she said.

The guard blew his whistle and Ashima puffed away.

* * *

The sheds were quite close to the station, so Daisy had overheard everything. She swiftly grew green with envy. Being in the same shed, Ryan had also overheard what the passengers had said and grew concerned for his friend.

"Are you alright, Daisy?"

Daisy just scowled.

"I can't believe this! She pulls into our station _once_ and already she's seen as more beautiful than me?! **Me**?! What rubbish!"

"She does have a lot of colors, though," Ryan observed, "She has plenty of bright green, white, and orange patterns scattered over her paint. Not to mention her pink and blue livery."

"Since when are you so knowledgeable about colors? Besides, I have my makeup, which is obviously much better than whatever s _he_ has!"

"Well, Daisy, I..."

Ryan broke off as he observed that Daisy didn't reply.

"Daisy...?"

Daisy lowered her brow competitively.

"You're on..."

"...on what?"

"Stop ruining my moments, Ryan."

* * *

Ashima puffed happily along the Harwick line, observing every sight she saw.

"It certainly is pretty here," she said to herself, "It's not like back home, but a chance of pace is always pleasant."

In the back of her mind, however, she still thought about Daisy and how rude she had been. She frowned as the memory came back to her.

"I hope she doesn't turn out like Vinnie..." she said to herself, shuddering at the thought.

The passengers greatly enjoyed the ride too.

"She doesn't complain at all, unlike Daisy."

"Indeed, Daisy often makes us late by complaining about pulling goods trains when Ryan isn't available, but this engine knows what she's doing."

Ashima smiled at the praise, though grew even more worried about Daisy.

"Hopefully, she doesn't take this too personally... I'm only going to be here for a week anyway."

* * *

At the junction, Mike blew his whistle impatiently, surveying the North Western line.

"What are you doing just sitting there, Mike?" Frank asked bitterly as he pulled next to him with some supplies, "The rest of us are working our buffers off and you're sitting around trying to look fancy!"

Mike glared at the grumpy diesel.

"I'm waiting for that blasted Daisy with her passengers. She always nags _me_ for being late, but when _she's_ late, suddenly it's alright? Double standards, I say!"

"Well, you are late a lot," smirked Frank.

"And you're just the one who does odd jobs," snapped Mike.

Just then, Ashima pulled into the junction, gasping when she saw the Arlesdale Railway engines.

"Goodness, you two are so small!"

"Yes, we are..." Mike muttered, "Don't wear it out- Oh wait, you did just by mentioning it..."

Ashima winced.

"I'm sorry..."

Frank sniffed and glanced at the foreign engine.

"Who are you exactly...? We expected Daisy."

"Oh, I'm taking her first run. Apparently's she tired."

Mike rolled his eyes.

"Typical... I can't stand that diesel."

"Me or Daisy?!" Frank gasped.

Mike smirked.

"I could say... both of you."

Ashima raised an eyebrow.

"Why?"

"About Frank? Well, he's done so many things that annoy me that I could go on for hours. First, he whines about not being the center of attention-"

"No, about Daisy!"

"Oh. I had a complete list of the annoying things Frank does in my mind but alas, that'll have to wait until tonight..."

Frank slowly rolled away, trying not to sob.

"Is he alright?" Ashima asked worriedly.

"Oh, he will be. It's all in good fun... for me anyway."

Mike grunted.

"Anyway, Daisy's a nuisance. I heard she was transferred from some other part of the railway, and I can't imagine how they put up with her for so long. She wants everything just so and wears silly makeup for some reason. What'll happen when it rains? Well, I'll laugh in her face when it's covered in smeared color, that's what!"

Ashima frowned.

"It seems you have strong feelings."

"Oh, I have plenty. I'd tell you all about them but I have to leave."

"Good..." muttered Ashima under her breath.

"What'd you say?"

"Nothing...!"

Mike whistled and began puffing away. Ashima was deep in thought as she went to turn around.

"Hmm... I wonder..."

* * *

At last, Ashima's run was complete, and she puffed back to Arlesburgh for further instructions. Ryan had left to take a goods train to the harbour, but Daisy was still preparing for her first run of the morning. I'm sorry to say that her mood had not improved. She glared at Ashima as she came to a halt.

"I see you're already done with your first job..."

"Well, yes, I like to work quickly. What do I have to do next?"

Daisy yawned.

"Don't ask me, I'm not the one in charge. If I was, things would be a lot different around here."

"Oh... but there's nobody around here," Ashima observed.

Daisy smirked slyly.

"Maybe nobody wants to see your ugly face."

She chuckled at her own jab as she rolled away.

Ashima winced, trying not to be affected by the insult. All the same, she couldn't help but feel sorry for herself.

"I don't drive people away... Do I?

Meanwhile, Daisy pulled into the station, smiling at her waiting passengers.

"All aboard!" she said loudly.

The passengers glared at her.

"Such a shame that nice Indian engine can't be here all the time."

"Yes, she's never this loud."

Daisy's smile instantly turned into a scowl.

* * *

The rest of the day passed with few notable events. As the moon shone that night, Ryan backed into his berth after a long day of work. He sighed with exhaustion as his fire was beginning to be put out. The tank engine glanced at Daisy, who was filling up on fuel.

"What are you doing, Daisy?" he asked innocently, "You don't have any more runs for tonight."

Daisy scoffed.

"I don't believe it's any of your business, but I shall explain nonetheless. I'm going to the Dieselworks."

"For a routine maintenance check?" Ryan pondered, "I thought that wasn't for another week."

"Never you mind. Tell 'Ashima' she can have my berth for the night. I'll probably be there for a while."

"What? But-"

Daisy blasted her horn and she scurried away before Ryan could finish. The tank engine sighed.

"She never tells me anything..."

* * *

"Alright, pull 'im up again!"

Norman snorted as the hoist lifted him up into the air.

"Bother that Thomas... Yet another incident I'm in..."

"It isn't fun for us either, you know," said Dart hoarsely, rolling up underneath him, "Hearing you groan and grumble isn't really helping either."

"There's not much else I can do," protested Norman. Just then, a loud horn echoed through the Dieselworks.

"Huh. I haven't heard that horn in a while," said Dart.

"Dart, would you mind seeing who it is while I attend to Norman here?" Den asked slowly.

"Oh, sure, Den."

Dart raised an eyebrow as Daisy rolled onto the turntable.

"Daisy! It's not time for your maintenance check yet; you're off by a few days."

"I'm not here for that," Daisy replied, "I have stiff competition on my branch line now."

"It isn't really your branch line, though," Den said, "You and Ryan share it, don't you?"

"Maybe, but I'm the true spectacle!" Her smug smirk turned into a frown. "That could all change soon, however. A new engine's arrived and everyone thinks she's more beautiful than me!"

Den didn't really follow.

"And...?"

" _And_ I want you two to make me look nicer than I already do."

"Uh... Daisy, the Dieselworks is for repairing diesel locomotives. It's not really for your... er..."

"He's trying to say the Dieselworks doesn't have mascara," Dart said, "Or blush. Or whatever else you have on your face. Honestly, I never really understood your habits."

Daisy scowled.

"I didn't come here to get bombarded with insults from the ignorant!"

Den and Dart looked at each other helplessly. At last, Daisy lost patience.

"Well, start moving and find some! I need to look my best so my passengers will accept me again!"

Den and Dart glanced at each other again.

"Alright, give us a minute," Dart suggested, "Maybe we'll find some in the back."

"Why would you have _mascara_ of all things in the back?" Norman asked from up on the hoist.

Dart glared up at him.

"Shhh!"

Daisy smirked with satisfaction as Den rolled onto the lowering turntable.

"Hey, wait! What about me?" Norman complained.

"You'll get your turn," scoffed Dart as the turntable rose back up, "Just stay up there and you'll be alright."

Norman grunted.

"I can't believe you're putting makeup over my important repairs..."

Den and Dart scurried away, not even listening to him.

* * *

Soon, they had scurried beside the building. When they were out of earshot of anyone, Den looked curiously down at Dart.

"Do you have something up your air intake, Dart? I see the look in your eye."

Dart smirked.

"Indeed I do, Den! What kind of fool thinks a place that repairs locomotives would know anything about applying makeup? Maybe at the Washdown, but not here! Yet she has the _nerve_ to call _us_ ignorant!"

"I see. So, what's your plan then?"

Dart snickered.

"It'll be a doozy! Let's..."

Dart quickly explained the joke, and Den readily agreed, not too fond of Daisy himself.

* * *

Minutes flew by, and Daisy was beginning to grow restless.

"Ugh, where are they?! must've found some by now!"

Norman gave her a dirty look.

"I've been stuck up here for a few weeks myself, so shut up and start being grateful you're still in working order."

"Well, that's just no way to speak to a lady!"

"A lady? That's a new one."

Daisy scoffed as Den and Dart rolled alongside her, one on each side.

"What took _you_ two so long...?" she snapped.

Dart gritted his teeth, though he attempted to hide it.

"We don't have a lot of mascara, but we _did_ find a little! Just enough for you! Didn't we, Den?"

Den smiled nervously.

"Right. We did. Heh, heh..."

Norman raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Daisy smirked.

"Good."

A workman glanced at Dart.

"What do you expect from us?"

"What kind of question is that?"

"I've never done this sort of thing before!"

"Oh dizzy diesels, just act like you're painting an engine's paintwork," Dart replied hastily.

The workman shrugged.

"I don't think you're one to really talk as an 'expert', but I need my check so..."

Daisy beamed proudly as the job began going underway.

* * *

At last, the task was completed. Daisy blinked, showing off her new look.

"Ta da! Look at me!"

Den and Dart snickered at each other.

Daisy raised an eyebrow.

"What? I look fabulous! Oh, my passengers are going to love this!"

"I'm sure they will," chuckled Norman sarcastically.

Daisy rolled her eyes.

"You just don't understand true beauty, Norman."

She honked her horn and began reversing out of the Dieselworks. The three diesels couldn't contain it anymore and they all exploded into laughter.

"I must admit," Norman said, trying to calm himself down, "You two did a great job, but not in the way she thought...!"

"I know.

* * *

Daisy slowly made her way back to the Harwick Branch Line; she wanted everyone to see how she looked.

"Might as well show it off to everyone I meet," she chuckled, "I'm sure they'll be impressed..."

At Crovan's Gate Station, Peter Sam and Arthur were exchanging passengers when Daisy bustled up.

"Oh, hello you two!" she smirked as she came to a halt, "Like my new look? I got it at the Dieselworks."

Peter Sam and Arthur glanced at each other, then back at Daisy. Peter Sam began to giggle.

"Yes, that's very clear!"

Daisy scowled.

"What's so funny, Peter Sam?"

"Your 'new look' makes you look like you got it at the Waste Dump!"

Daisy shuddered at the thought.

"I'm not _that_ desperate. How dare you compare me to that awful place!"

"Daisy, have you actually looked at yourself?" Arthur asked, trying not to laugh.

Daisy rolled her eyes.

"I don't need to yet. I just know it's perfect by how it feels!"

At this, Peter Sam chortled loudly.

"That's low standards for you!"

Arthur didn't want to be rude, but he couldn't help himself laughing too. Daisy growled with anger as she started off again.

"Silly engines... No taste at all..."

* * *

Next, Daisy approached Cronk, where Diesel was dropping off a few trucks for his slow goods. He glanced at Daisy's face as she passed and immediately snickered.

"Daisy, what have you done to yourself?"

"I've simply made myself beautiful."

"More like horrid!"

Diesel laughed at his own quip, but Daisy didn't.

"How incredibly immature of that engine... What is with everyone today...? I don't look _that_ bad... or bad at all! There has to be _someone_ who appreciates this..."

* * *

Knapford was as busy as ever, with trains rumbling in and out of the station.

Philip was finishing his shunting of some coaches when he noticed a strange sight coming into the junction.

"What's that?" he wondered aloud.

Donald, who was backing down onto them, chuckled.

"Ah believe it's Daisy, Philip."

"Oh. But... what's on her face?" Philip asked.

Daisy came to a halt and smirked to all the engines that were there.

"Look at me now! I'm so much better than that blasted Ashima!"

The engines took one look at Daisy and immediately broke down into laughter.

"Even I look nicer than that, and I'm covered in rubbish!" said Scruff.

Daisy's face flushed with anger.

"That's it, I need answers **now**!"

The laughter stopped as everyone saw the fire in Daisy's eyes.

"Why is everyone laughing at me today?! First Peter Sam and Arthur, then Diesel, now you lot! Beauty is not to be laughed at! It should be taken seriously!"

"It's hard to do so when you have paint all over your face!" Charlie snickered as he pulled up alongside Donald, "I'd say this was a joke, but you're not clever enough."

" **What**?! Paint?! What nonsense! Den and Dart didn't use _paint_! The workmen used the mascara like I told them to!"

"Urr ye sure aboot that?" Donald asked as a workman picked up a mirror and held it to Daisy's face.

Daisy's face turned pale as she saw herself in the mirror. For the first time, she saw what she really looked like.

"It... it _is_ paint!" she stuttered, "B-b-b-but... I... I look..."

"Hideous?" offered Scruff.

"Stupid?" said Charlie.

"No... no, no, no, no... It can't be!"

"Och, 'ere we go..." Donald murmured.

"I can't be hideous! I can't be! Why?! Why did they use paint instead of mascara?! Did..."

The thought pounced on Daisy like a leopard.

"...did they do it on purpose...?!"

"Of course they did. You know how Dart likes his jokes," chuckled Scruff, "It really took you this long to realize this?"

"A **joke**?!" Daisy fumed, "Who in their right mind would consider this a joke?!"

"Well, us to same capacity," Charlie replied.

"Mibbie 'twas tae teach ye a lesson," Donald suggested.

"A **lesson**?!" She looked at herself in the mirror and shuddered at the sight. "No, no, no, no! I look awful! I can't let anyone see me!"

She gasped when she saw that everyone was grinning at her. The diesel railcar shut her eyes tightly.

"No, stop! Don't look at me! I look even worse than that Indian engine now! What if the passengers hate my looks forever? What if I'm sent away? What if I get turned into **scrap**?! **Nooooo**!" Daisy wailed as she ran through the station.

"What a drama queen..." muttered Charlie.

* * *

At Harwick, Ryan slowly shunted some trucks into a siding. He looked up as he noticed Ashima pulling into the station.

"Is everything alright, Ashima?" he asked, noticing her forlorn expression.

Ashima glanced at Ryan and attempted to smile.

"Well... uh..."

"You can't lie to me. Just tell me what's wrong. Maybe I can help!"

Ashima sighed.

"I'm not sure... It's not really something an engine like you goes through, but... Answer this honestly. Am I ugly?"

Ryan was taken aback by Ashima's question.

"Ugly?! How on earth can you say that? You're one of the best-painted engines I know!"

"It's just... I've been thinking about what Daisy said."

Ryan's eyebrows shot up instantly.

"What did she say?"

Ashima was surprised by Ryan's determination.

"Well... she essentially said I was ugly. Everyone says otherwise, but it's possible she's the only one seeing the truth."

Ryan groaned.

"Oh, why does she have to act like this... I'll talk to her."

"Are you sure that's a good idea? I mean, she seems to be very stubborn."

"I can handle it," said the purple engine as he puffed away.

He secretly gulped when he was out of Ashima's sight.

"I hope..."

* * *

Meanwhile, at another part of the yard, Daisy was being cleaned after her escapade.

Water splashed onto her face, and the paint began to run.

"Mind my eyes," the diesel huffed.

A workman grunted.

"The Fat Controller demanded you to be presentable for your passengers; otherwise we wouldn't bother doing this. Serves you right."

"Huh! Well good for you, you're doing it..."

The workman sighed and continued his work. An urgent whistle caught Daisy off guard as Ryan pulled up next to her.

"Daisy, Daisy!" he panted as he came to a halt.

Daisy glared at him.

"What is so important that you have to interrupt me being cleaned? You know this is the only time of day I feel at peace!"

Ryan suddenly got nervous.

"It's just... I... uh..."

"Spit it out if you have anything to say, or I'll tune you out."

"Ashima's upset," Ryan blurted out, "M-maybe you should uh... talk to her? She's in the shed now, I... think."

Daisy rolled her eyes.

"I don't see how that in any way would benefit me, but I'm bored, so... I suppose I will."

Ryan grinned gratefully.

"Thank you-"

"But if this isn't worth anything, I'll give you a piece of my mind later!"

Ryan gulped as Daisy honked her horn and scurried away.

* * *

It didn't take very long for Daisy to find sat in a siding, looking out towards the direction of the sea. Hearing a diesel engine, she looked curiously at Daisy as she backed into the berth next to her.

"Oh, hello Daisy."

Daisy scoffed.

"Hello..." she muttered bitterly.

Ashima looked closely at her and noticed some paint that hadn't been washed off yet.

"Why is there paint on your face?" she asked.

Daisy's face flushed.

"I... uh... I smashed into a flatbed of paint...?"

"I haven't a single one of those on this line since I came here."

"Alright, alright... I was trying to look prettier, but those idiots at the Dieselworks didn't use proper equipment; they used paint! It's disgraceful!"

Ashima giggled.

"Why would you want to look better?"

Daisy scowled.

"Because you're threatening my chances with the passengers, and everyone else for that matter!"

Ashima was shocked.

"Me? Whatever do you mean?"

"Oh, knock off the act. I know you're not naive. You know exactly what I mean. Everyone says you're _so beautiful_ and then I try and prove myself, but then they say I'm not as pretty as you!"

Ashima winced.

"Oh dear... I suppose you're insecure about your looks?"

This brought Daisy over the edge.

"Insecure? **Insecure**? I'm very secure, thank you! I know my paintwork is stunning! It's just you come in and suddenly everyone thinks my face is hilarious!"

"Well, it is rather humorous how you have paint on yourself," Ashima smirked.

"Don't be snide," huffed Daisy, "Wasn't my fault anyway."

"You won't have to worry about me being a threat for much longer."

"That... that sounds oddly ominous."

"I'll only be here for a week at the most, is what I mean. After that, I go back home in India. Then, things will go back to normal."

Daisy just sniffed.

"You know," Ashima said slowly, "I don't understand why you'd want to change yourself. You already look lovely in my humble opinion."

Daisy looked up in surprise.

"Really? You think so?"

"Of course! It's certainly unique."

"Oh... well... thank you," said Daisy, a bit unsure of herself, "You... don't look that bad yourself."

Ashima grinned.

"I have to collect some passengers from the harbour," she said, as she began puffing away, "See you later, Daisy!"

"See you..."

She was about to close her eyes for a quick snooze when guilt struck her.

 _"A_ _fter all that I had said, she was still so patient with me! Maybe I shouldn't have said those things to her... I wonder if..."_

"Ashima, wait!" she cried loudly.

Ashima braked and looked back curiously.

"Yes?"

Daisy bit her lip nervously.

"Uh... never mind."

The Indian engine raised an eyebrow but said nothing as she chuffed away. Ryan had been watching the whole conversation and was most disappointed. He slowly chuffed beside the shed and glared at Daisy.

"Why didn't you apologize to her? You had it right there!"

Daisy glared back.

"I was going to," she said defensively, "But... I lost my nerve. alright? I'm not used to apologizing to someone that isn't Toby."

Ryan sighed.

"I should've seen this coming..."

"You aren't good at making a plan, are you?"

Ryan chuckled.

"Perhaps I'm not...!"

He then became serious again.

"We'll have to get you to do it, though. You wouldn't want her to go back home and think you didn't like her."

Daisy gasped, not thinking of that. Ryan seized his chance.

"You can try again tonight."

A determined look crossed the railcar's face.

"Good idea... for once."

"You really need to give me more credit."

"Maybe... but I won't."

* * *

Stars twinkled in the sky as Ashima backed into the siding next to the shed. She sighed, looking up at the night sky.

"Homesick?"

She glanced over in surprise to find Daisy backing into her berth.

"Perhaps a little," Ashima admitted, "I know I'll be going back there soon, but it feels strange and a little scary to be so far away from it for so long."

"I know you feel."

Ashima raised an eyebrow.

"You do?"

"Oh, yes. You've probably heard I worked on another branch line before coming to work here."

"Yes, I heard it from Mike."

Daisy lowered her eyelids.

"Oh, that must've been a fun conversation...! Point being, I used to work on the Ffarquhar Branch Line. Sometimes I still miss it."

"Ah."

Daisy glanced at Ashima, who seemed a lot more cheerful with some company.

"Look, it's not easy to say this as I don't do it often but... I'm sorry."

Ashima was surprised.

"R-really?"

Daisy sighed.

"Yes... I could probably say what I did wrong and all that, but I don't want to be awake all night. So... can you forgive me?"

Ashima smiled.

"Of course I can. I'd rather not hold a grudge."

Daisy smiled too.

"We'll work well together."

The two engines chuckled as a shooting star flew across the night sky.

* * *

 **A** **uthor's Note:** Writing this was really fun. Patient yet a little snide Ashima versus egotistical Daisy, with poor Ryan in the middle of it all. This was a strange idea to work with but I think it worked out alright. Oh, and yes, this was the sequel I was referring to at the end of the rewrite. It's not a full special per say; it's a Railway Series-esque set of stories that revolve around events of the Great Race. Mostly after, but there are still some surprises to be had...! I'll give you a little hint to get y'all excited: The next installment's about Vinnie. Fill in the blanks yourself... ;)


	2. Vinnie the Bully

Diesel screamed as he raced down the line.

"Help me! Help! A large engine's chasing me!" he wailed.

"You can run but you can't hide!" Vinnie chortled from behind him.

Diesel continued his pleas as he scurried through the dark and gloomy countryside. The dim moonlight provided a little bit of vision for Diesel, though not much. He gasped when he noticed Vicarstown Station looming in the darkness.

"Yes, I'm saved!"

On the track next to him, he could see a train of trucks and a cloud of steam billowing into the air.

"Whoever's there, help me! Please! I'm being chased down by a monster!"

"A monster, eh? You'll pay for saying that..." Vinnie scowled and he rushed forward, threatening to bump into the back of Diesel. Diesel surged forward and hurried into the station. Quickly, he came to a halt next to the engine, who was hidden in the dark.

"Oh, thank goodness! Whoever you are, please! Alert the Fat Controller! I'm on the run!"

The engine looked over and a swaying light revealed the hidden engine to be Emily. Her jaw dropped as she noticed Diesel, still in his Great Railway Show shunter livery.

"Diesel! What are you doing here at this time of night?"

"I told you! I'm on the run!"

"Really?! From who?"

Diesel nervously indicated towards Vinnie, who now puffed out of the dark and into the beam of the swaying lamp. Emily's eyes bulged with fear when she saw the devious look on his face.

"H-He's here too?! Why?! I thought he went back to North America!"

"He missed his ship... think he blames it on me..."

Emily glanced back and frowned.

"Where's Paxton? I saw him at the show with you."

Diesel's eyes widened as he looked around frantically.

"Paxton?! Oh no, where on earth is he?!"

"Hello!"

Diesel and Emily gasped as Paxton rolled alongside Vinnie.

"Paxton, look out!" screamed Diesel suddenly.

"Huh?"

Paxton jumped with fright as Vinnie snarled at him. He smiled sheepishly as the eyes of the large tender engine pierced into him.

"Uh... Heh heh... Lovely night isn't it-"

Before Paxton could say any more, all four engines heard nearby running footsteps. Onto the platform stepped the Fat Controller, sweating a little as he had just run up a flight of stairs. He wiped a little moisture from his brow and adjusted his top hat.

"Phew... Now, what-"

He broke off as he surveyed the scene. Diesel, Paxton, and Vinnie didn't dare make a sound. At last, he found his words.

"What in the world is going on?! Why is there a Railway Show engine here? And... is that you, Diesel and Paxton?!"

Paxton looked desperately to Diesel for help.

"Um, it's... actually quite a long story," Diesel chuckled nervously.

The Fat Controller crossed his arms.

"Well, by all means, do tell. It had better be a good one too."

All three of them gulped at once. Emily smirked to herself as she puffed away.

* * *

The sun rose up, giving a heavenly glow to the sky as the dawn of a new day began. Philip was already awake, eager to start his work in the yard. He hummed a tune to himself as he arranged a set of tankers. Stafford was also awake as his batteries were being charged for the morning, albeit not necessarily from his own choice.

"Ugh, do you _have_ to sing that song, Philip?" he muttered as Philip passed him, "I like the peace and quiet of the morning, and I'd rather you not spoil it."

Philip smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry, Stafford. I'll try and be quieter."

"Good..." Stafford muttered, closing his eyes in an attempt to relax. The boxcab instantly braked and looked back with excitement.

"Oh! Did you hear about my experience at the Great Railway Show?"

Stafford's eye twitched as it opened.

"...I believe you told me, yes."

"Oh? I don't remember that. Ah well, I'll tell you again!"

He looked around, noticing Harvey loading some lumber, and Molly getting a drink at the water tower.

"Look, Stafford! More engines for my audience! Hello, Harvey! Hi, Molly!"

The two engines glanced at Philip and smiled.

"Oh, hello Philip," said Harvey.

"...hi," said Molly shyly.

Philip grinned as Stafford rolled his eyes.

"Would you two like to listen to my incredible adventures at the Great Railway Show with Stafford? It'll be lots of fun!"

"I don't have much else to do," Harvey chuckled, "It'd be a pleasant way to start the day."

"I suppose," Molly said quietly, "I mean, uh... if you don't mind."

"Of course I don't!" Philip said happily as Molly and Harvey chuffed closer, "It was a perilous adventure, with action, suspense, and heroism!"

"Is that so...?" asked Stafford dully.

"Indeed, and it was all me!"

Molly's eyes widened with surprise.

"Really? That's impressive!"

Philip smirked.

"It was if I do say so myself! See, there were various international engines there, but one of them was a big bully named Vinnie! I accidentally backed into him and he got a bit cross with me. Then I ran into him again, and he got covered in coal. It was pretty funny! Then it gets really interesting! I was cornered by a turntable well!"

Harvey and Molly gasped together as the boxcab attempted to pause suspensefully.

"Then what happened?" quizzed Harvey.

"Tell us, tell us!" Molly urged.

"Well, I used my powerful strength to push him over the points and I escaped! Then the klutz ran into a pylon, and it fell on him!" Philip began to laugh. "It was so hilarious!"

"That must've hurt," Molly said, wincing.

"Oh, it probably did, but he deserved it, and it was all because of me! He was quite intimidating, being very big, but that didn't stop me!"

Harvey chuckled.

"I don't think you have the strength to pull a very big engine like that, Philip."

Philip pouted.

"Nonsense! You believe me, don't you Molly?"

Molly smiled.

"Of course I do. You were very brave, Philip."

Philip smirked smugly at Harvey.

"See? I'm very brave!"

"Sure you were..." mumbled Stafford.

"Molly, do you honestly believe Philip can haul Vinnie?"

Everyone's attention was diverted to Gordon, who was getting ready for his morning express run. He came to a stop next to the boxcab and chuckled. Molly gulped and looked at her buffers.

"Well, um..."

"See, according to Thomas, you cowered in fear while he, Ashima, and the other shunting challenge competitors saved your cab from being bashed into that turntable well," Gordon said to Philip.

The boxcab scoffed.

"How would you know? You weren't even there."

"I did say 'according to Thomas', Philip," Gordon replied firmly, "Besides, it's only logical that a little engine like you wouldn't have the strength to pull such a big engine."

"Just as I said!" said Harvey proudly.

Molly blushed with embarrassment.

"Oh... oh dear... I really am rather idiotic, aren't I..." she said with self-pity.

"Nonsense," replied Gordon kindly, "You just didn't know all the facts because _someone_ didn't tell the story correctly." The express engine glared at Philip, whose cheeks grew hot with anger.

"Oh yeah? Well... Uh... You weren't there to help me when I wanted you to! You could've easily helped me against Vinnie, but you chose not to! You wanted me to be bullied!"

Molly gasped with shock. This caught Gordon off guard; he couldn't believe Philip would say such a thing. However, he quickly regained his composure.

"Philip, what are you suggesting is ridiculous! My boiler had just blown up in The Great Race, and Flying Scotsman had taken me back to the yard, leaving me immobile, so I couldn't help you even if I wanted to!"

"Stop making excuses!" Philip roared, "You're not a good engine after all, are you?!"

Molly's face went pale.

"Calm down Philip, I'm sure we can talk this-"

"This is _our_ problem," Philip retorted, "Not yours."

Molly stood agape as the little diesel glared at Gordon.

"If you're so mean that you don't want to help with my bullying problem, then I won't shunt your coaches anymore! Hmph!"

Gordon could feel his steam pressure rising from anger, but he knew if he said the wrong he'd only make things worse.

"Philip, listen. It's not like that. It's-"

Philip looked away.

"I have actual work to do, instead of talking to a bully like you. Good day to you, _big engine_!"

He rolled triumphantly away. Silence fell over the yard for a moment.

"That was... unexpected," Harvey said slowly.

"Yes, and a little intimidating," Molly commented.

Gordon grunted.

"Yes, being childlike, his tantrums are unbearable. He doesn't listen to reason sometimes. For instance, he still thinks he won that blasted 'race', even though I was filling up on water the whole time."

"That's Philip for you," Stafford chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.

Molly glanced back nervously.

"Is... Is he going to be alright?"

"He might be after he cools down. I'll stay out of his way until then," Gordon replied, "Now, I need my coaches shunted."

Stafford smiled weakly.

"My batteries are charged now, so _I_ could do it for you, Gordon."

The big engine glanced gratefully at the electric shunter.

"Oh, thank you, Stafford. That would be most helpful. I'll see you at the station."

He whistled and puffed away. Molly bit her lip.

"I hope their conflict is solved soon... I like to be a peacekeeper and all, but I'd rather stay out of things like this."

"Agreed," muttered Harvey, "Reasoning with Philip is like talking to a wall."

"That... isn't... uh... You're right," Molly admitted.

"Now you know how I feel," Stafford quipped as he scurried away to shunt Gordon's express coaches.

* * *

Gordon backed down into the station, still a little flustered by Philip's outburst.

"Bother..." he grumbled, "Sometimes looking out for that little fellow only gives me a headache..."

"Don't feel bad, Gordon," Stafford said helpfully as he began shunting the coaches into position, "I believe what you said."

"I don't _feel bad_ , Stafford," Gordon replied huffily, "It's simply irritating. If I could've helped him, I would've, but I was trying to deal with my own issues at the time. He simply doesn't understand that."

"Give him or a day or two," Stafford suggested as he braked, "I've come to realize that he doesn't get angry very often. He's a pleasant little engine, albeit maddening at times."

"The irony is that's part of what concerns me," said Gordon, "I've never seen him so cross before."

"I can attempt to talk to him," replied the electric engine, "In an hour or two, at least."

Gordon was about to reply when a loud and worrying cough got his attention.

"Oh no... Is that...?"

Gordon's guess proved to be correct as a sickly Henry puffed next to him.

He coughed again as black smoke flew from his funnel; his face was green, and worst of all, he looked miserable.

"Goodness, Henry! What happened to you?" Stafford asked worriedly.

"I..." Henry coughed before attempting to speak again. "I must've gotten some bad coal. They soon realized it was filthy, so they took it away. It would explain why nobody else is sick and I am... How joyful..."

Henry groaned weakly.

"Must've been the fish! Being around it for so long must've finally gotten to you...!" Gordon grinned.

Henry glared at him.

"It's not..." Another cough erupted from his mouth as Gordon and Stafford winced. "...funny."

"I was only trying to lighten things up," Gordon muttered, "I do hope you feel better, Henry."

Henry attempted to smile.

"Thank you, Gordon..."

He whistled and chuffed away, sneezing along the way. Gordon cringed.

"Poor Henry..."

* * *

Diesel and Paxton looked worriedly to each other as the Fat Controller paced the platform.

"I am most displeased with you two. Instead of doing your work, you waste some valuable paint and gallivant off to the Mainland to participate in the Great Railway Show!"

"I... I'm sorry, sir," gulped Paxton, "I... I r-really didn't want to..."

The Fat Controller glanced at the devastated green diesel; this was the first time he had genuinely gotten into trouble, and he wasn't exactly taking it well. For a moment felt sympathy for Paxton, and almost wanted to go easy on him. He then remembered the severity of the situation and his brow lowered.

"Perhaps not, but this whole 'following Diesel' mess has got to end, Paxton. You're only bringing yourself down by doing what he says."

The naive diesel looked down at his buffers in shame.

"Yes, sir..."

The Fat Controller then glared at Diesel.

"And I assume this was _your_ idea, just like it was with the other diesels disguising as crates."

Diesel chuckled nervously.

"Well, heh heh..."

"No, I've had enough of this. You two, go to the Dieselworks to have that paintwork removed and have your old liveries painted back on. I'll deal more with you later."

"Yes, sir. Right away, sir. Sorry sir," said Paxton with guilt as he scurried away. Diesel said nothing but slowly followed. Then, the Fat Controller glanced at Vinnie, who had remained silent the entire time.

"Emily's told me you've missed your ship to get back to your home, correct?"

Vinnie scowled.

"Yes, sir..."

"Fair enough, but would you mind explaining why you were chasing Diesel in the middle of the night?"

Vinnie's scowl immediately left his face. A twinge of panic ran through him as he realized he couldn't find any excuses.

"I, uh... He... called me an idiot... and uh..."

The Fat Controller sighed and rubbed his forehead.

"Oh, I feel a headache coming on... Look, just go to the Steamworks and be looked over. A ship will come in about a week to pick up Ashima, so you can take that one as well. However, you'll have to stay here until then."

Vinnie rolled his eyes as he began puffing away.

"How exciting..."

The Fat Controller gazed in Vinnie's direction as he left. He squinted, having noticed his attitude.

"Hmm... I'll have to keep an eye on him..." he told himself.

* * *

At Crovan's Gate, Sir Handel was waiting for a goods train from the North Western Railway. He was growing impatient, and he blew his whistle to show it.

"Oh, come on! Where is he? I have a schedule to keep to!"

"Why don't you shut your trap..."

Sir Handel's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when he saw Vinnie rumbling through the station.

His face turned pale as the engine smirked slyly at him.

"Uh... y-you're not the goods train, a-are you...?"

"No, I'm going to your stupid Works to be 'looked over'. It's bad enough here already without annoying little engines like you. Now shut up before I make you."

Vinnie didn't say anymore as he puffed away, but it was enough to terrify poor Sir Handel.

"W-what a big e-engine..." he stuttered.

* * *

Near the front of the Steamworks, Kevin lowered a new shipment of axles.

"All done!" he declared proudly, surveying his work.

"Oh, how special. You lowered a box... Any idiot can do that."

Kevin looked up and gasped when he saw the looming presence of Vinnie slowly coming towards him.

"Uh... hello there, and welcome to the Crovan's Gate Steamworks!" the yellow crane recited anxiously, "W-what's your business here?"

Vinnie's eyes narrowed.

"My _business_ here is to get _inside_ the building..." He surged forward, causing Kevin to drive backward in an attempt to escape. "...but with a little _fool_ like you in the way, I can't... Now get out of my way before I damage you beyond repair..."

Kevin gulped as he nervously drove off the track.

"Yes, uh... whoever you are..." he said.

Vinnie looked around, eyeing every corner of the Steamworks.

"Not too bad... I've seen worse," he muttered.

Kevin smiled.

"Thanks!"

"I wasn't talking to **you**..." the American engine thundered.

The crane winced and quickly drove away in fear to fetch Victor.

A few seconds past and Victor puffed along one of the narrow gauge tracks.

"What is going on? Where are-"

He stopped as he noticed Vinnie in the entrance. The big engine smirked.

"Is someone finally going to do their job right?"

Victor scowled.

* * *

A half hour later, Gordon slowly came to a halt at Crovan's Gate. As the passengers disembarked, he couldn't help but notice his connection to the Skarloey Railway. Sir Handel's teeth chattered and his eyes darted in all directions. The express engine chuckled.

"Well, Sir Handel!" he needled, "Who's a scaredy engine? You, apparently!"

Sir Handel's brow lowered.

"You would react the same way if you saw _him_..." he said darkly.

Gordon raised an eyebrow.

"Who's 'him...?" he asked curiously.

Sir Handel's dome quivered.

"He's terrifying, Gordon... He's blue, has bars over his face, and is the biggest engine I've ever seen in all my years!"

Both of Gordon's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"What?! That's impossible!"

"How?! I saw him with my own eyes!" cried the little engine, "He said terrifying things to me too! His voice alone is enough to make your boiler run cold!"

"But... that would mean..."

"Yes, big blue sausage... I'm _back_."

Gordon and Sir Handel gasped as Vinnie came to a stop on the track alongside the express engine. The American engine smirked.

"Surprised to see me...?"

For a few moments, Gordon wasn't sure what to say. Sir Handel, now very scared indeed, quietly slipped away with his passengers. At last, Gordon found his words.

"What are _y_ _ou_ doing here, Vinnie? This isn't your railway."

Vinnie's smirk slipped away to an angered expression.

"I know that, you kettle. I missed my ship, and now I have to stay here until another one can come back for me."

Before Gordon could respond, Hank puffed alongside Vinnie, with Henry in tow.

"Hank? What are you doing?" Gordon asked.

Hank heaved a sad sigh.

"I'm afraid Henry's illness is so bad it can't be ignored now," he replied, "I saw him broken down on the line, so my driver alerted the Fat Controller. Now I'm taking him to the Steamworks."

Gordon glanced at Henry, who looked even worse than before.

"Oh, my... What's the cause?"

"I remember someone saying it was his boiler, though I'm not really an expert on the subject."

Henry tried to reassure Gordon but was so ill his lips moved without any sound coming from them.

"I know,'" Hank said sadly, "It's a sore sight."

Vinnie chuckled as he recognized him.

"He's the engine I saw at the Great Railway Show! Heh heh, he came in last! Now, look at the poor hunk of scrap! He's probably too weak to be any use at all."

Hank and Gordon both scowled.

"Henry's much more useful than you'll ever be!" Gordon fumed.

"Oh, you're all too sensitive," Vinnie scoffed, "Can't anyone make a joke anymore without someone being offended?"

"For your information, _you're_ supposed to do Henry's work while he's in the works," Hank said sternly.

"What?! You can't make me do that! Your top hat has no control over me!"

"He has custody over you while you're here," Hank smirked, "Ya better get movin'."

Vinnie seethed with anger as he left the station. Gordon clenched his teeth as he watched him go.

"I really don't like that engine..."

"Neither do I," replied Hank as he began puffing away, "We'll just have to make the best of it while he's here."

The express engine sighed as Henry rumbled past.

"I suppose so..."

* * *

Later, at Knapford Yards, Philip was refueling on diesel. Any thought of Gordon had left his mind by now, and he felt a lot more cheerful. He was especially happy when the yard manager walked up to him.

"Oh, hello sir!" the boxcab beamed, "Am I doing a good job?"

The manager chuckled.

"Don't worry, you are Philip."

"Ha, I knew it!"

"But you'd do an even better job if you could shunt Henry's next train."

Philip grinned excitedly.

"Oh, yes sir! I'll get right on that, sir!"

The little diesel honked his horn and scurried to work. The manager chuckled again and walked away. Philip found Henry's trucks on a siding and smirked.

"Heh, this'll be easy!"

A shunter coupled him up and he began to pull. The train was quite heavy, and Philip's little wheels whirred on the rails.

"Oof, this is harder than I thought it would be..."

He attempted again, when...

"What kind of yard is this?! Nothing's organized around here! Everyone's running around in circles, not having a clue what they're doing! Huh, just like I'd expect from _Sudrian_ engines..."

Philip froze in place immediately and his eyes widened with fear. He quickly shut them in an attempt to block out the voice.

"It's just a nightmare... It's not real... Wake up, Philip-"

"Oh, it's **you** again..."

Philip opened an eye and looked back to find exactly who he didn't want to see.

"Vinnie!" he almost whispered.

"The one and only. What are _you_ doing here?"

Philip gulped.

"I, uh... I live here," he stammered.

"Well, doesn't that explain everything! No wonder this yard's so dysfunctional! Back home, our yards are perfect. Everything's where it's supposed to be/ We don't have idiots like you as station pilots."

"Well... I... uh..."

"Get back to work shunting my trucks..." Vinnie said slyly, "Or I'll make sure you regret it..."

"B-b-but... H-Henry's supposed to pull this train," Philip stammered.

Vinnie rolled his eyes.

"That heap of scrap got ill, so I'm taking over for a while."

The boxcab shook with fear.

"G-g-great!" he said, plastering a fake smile.

Vinnie snickered, enjoying every second of his torture.

"Now... get my train ready..."

"Yes, Vinnie! Right away, Vinnie!"

Vinnie cackled as Philip quickly started to cross the junctions to get the trucks he needed.

* * *

At last, Vinnie's train was ready, and he had turned around so he could back down onto the trucks. Philip winced as Vinnie scowled at him.

" **You're** the reason I missed my ship... **You're** the reason I ran into that pylon... **You're** the reason _everyone_ thought I was an _idiot_!" He paused to take a breath. "When I come back... you will pay for all that you've done to embarrass me..."

"B-but... why did you come after me in the first place? This could've all been avoided if you had just left me alone," Philip squeaked.

Vinnie laughed as he began leaving the yard.

"It's just hilarious to watch little engines like you squirm..."

Philip's face paled.

* * *

Meanwhile, Thomas slowly chuffed into the yard, eyeing each siding carefully.

"Hmm... I wonder where Philip put them this time..." he chuckled to himself.

"Hello, Thomas! Over here!"

Thomas followed the sound of Annie's voice. He couldn't help but chuckle as he saw that Annie and Clarabel were on the siding next to the water tower.

"There you are!"

He quickly ran over the points, and gently backed down onto Annie.

"Thomas, have you noticed something strange about Philip?" Clarabel asked worriedly.

Thomas frowned, rather puzzled.

"I believe I haven't. Then again, I haven't seen him in a while. Why do you ask?"

Clarabel squinted and winced.

"Because I see him, alone on that track over there," she said, "You'd think he would be racing around."

"Really? Are you sure?" asked Annie.

"No, my eyes aren't playing tricks on me, Annie! There he is!"

Thomas looked back and gasped; Clarabel was right. Philip sat by himself by the coal hopper.

"Cinders and ashes! I better go see what's up..."

"But what about our train? You can't just cancel it, you know," Annie said tartly.

Thomas smiled sheepishly.

"I know. Don't worry; I was early to pick you up anyway. We have a few minutes to spare."

"If you say so... Just don't get too carried away."

Thomas gradually chuffed closer and closer to the boxcab.

"Philip...?" he said quietly.

Philip looked back and smiled with relief.

"Oh, thank goodness it's you, Thomas! I need someone to talk to, and nobody else is around!"

Thomas raised an eyebrow.

"Why? What happened?"

Philip sighed.

"Thomas, you remember that big scary bully from the Great Railway Show, don't you?"

Thomas grimaced, as unpleasant memories came flooding back to him.

"Yes, though I wish I'd forget..."

"Well, he's b-back on S-Sodor."

Thomas gasped in horror.

"No! The Fat Controller wouldn't dare!"

"I think Henry is having some kind of problem, so that's why the Fat Controller is bringing him in. But... I'm scared."

Thomas realized what Philip was worrying about.

"You mean he's back to bullying you? I suppose that's what I'd suspect if I'd known sooner."

"Exactly, Thomas, and I don't know what to do! He's going to come back later today, and he threatened me, saying he's going to make me pay! I'm not at all prepared fo what could happen! I just want someone to help me..."

"Why haven't you told the Fat Controller, Philip? That would be the logical thing to do."

"M-maybe but... I'm scared to do that too. Vinnie will only resent me even more if I do that, and I can't imagine what he'd try and do if I told anyone..."

"I see."

"Thomas?"

Thomas noticed that tears were welling up in the boxcab's eyes. He cringed at the sight.

"Yes, Philip?"

"Why does he have to pick on me? What did I ever do to him? I tried asking him, but he only said he thought it was funny!"

Thomas sighed deeply, wondering how he could phrase his reply without making him feel even worse.

"Well, Philip... I think what he said was true."

The yellow and green diesel sniffed.

"What...?"

"He didn't seem to have much motivation, besides you bumping him. It's possible he has interior motives, but I can't imagine what they are."

"But... Why, Thomas? Why is he such a mean engine?"

"Some engines are just not very friendly, I'm afraid. From what I've heard from the others, it seems you bumped into him a couple times, and for some, that's enough for someone like you to become a target."

"But... those were accidents! I apologized, yet all he did was chase me down in front of all the other contenders!"

"Bullies don't really care if it was an accident," Thomas said gravely, "Once they see a chance to latch onto someone, they will."

"Oh..." Philip whimpered, looking down at the rails.

Thomas hated to see Philip so scared but wasn't sure what he could do about it.

"Hmm... I'm afraid I have to go back to my trains, Philip. I'll see you later. Just... watch out, alright?"

Philip gulped, not wanting to see Thomas go.

"Well... alright, Thomas. If you must..."

Thomas whistled and began to puff away, taking one last glance at the little diesel.

* * *

Soon, Thomas was backing down onto Annie and Clarabel again.

"Did it go well?" Clarabel asked with concern, as she and Annie have heard the whole thing.

"I'm not sure," their engine replied as he was coupled up, "I'm just so worried about him. I mean, facing Vinnie's terrifying even for me!"

"I sure hope it all works out in the end. I can't bare to think how scared and alone Philip is!" Clarabel wailed, "What a tragedy!"

Thomas sighed as he passed Philip, who was still on his siding.

"I hope so too..."

* * *

At Knapford Station, Gordon had already pulled into Track 1 to exchange passengers that had come from Thomas' Branch Line. He looked back impatiently, scanning the track for Thomas.

"Bother. Thomas is late again..."

"I'm not late! I'm perfectly on time!"

Gordon smirked as Thomas puffed into Track 2.

"Are you sure about that?"

"Indeed I am," the tank engine said triumphantly, "Besides, there are more important matters than the time at the moment."

"What could be more important than my train being on time?" Gordon grinned.

"Philip, for a start," Thomas replied.

Gordon stopped grinning and frowned. Thomas was a little confused by this.

"What's wrong, Gordon?"

Gordon snapped out of his thoughts and chuckled nervously at Thomas.

"Nothing, Thomas. Carry on."

Thomas squinted but decided to regardless.

"Well, I'm sure you've heard by now that Vinnie is back."

"Yes," replied the big engine bitterly, "I met him at Crovan's Gate. Horrid engine, he is... Had no respect!"

"Exactly, and he's back to bullying Philip!"

"He is?!"

"I'm afraid so. I'm not sure what to do about it. Since I have to run my branch line, I can't be here to look after him. Even if I was, I would be no match against Vinnie."

Gordon was now very worried; even after Philip declaring he was a "mean engine", he still wanted to have him safe.

"Oh dear..."

His guard blew the whistle and waved the green flag. Gordon whistled and began leaving the heaved a sigh.

As Gordon began to leave Knapford Junction, thoughts swirled around his funnel.

"Philip _did_ say I didn't help him before... It was a rather irrational thing to say, but... hmm..."

He chuckled to himself as the station flew farther and farther away.

"Now's my chance to show him I really do care."

* * *

It was now a few hours later, and the sun was lower in the sky.

Philip was back at work in the yard, though he still felt rather glum. He kept looking around nervously, watching to see if Vinnie had come back yet.

"Hello, Philip."

The boxcab shouted in terror and was about to run away when Gordon puffed alongside him.

"Calm down, it's only me," he said reassuringly as he came to a halt.

Philip glared darkly at him.

"Oh, what are you going to do now? Cheer on while Vinnie bullies me?"

"Nothing of the sort. I've finished my last express run until the evening, so now I'm going to try and help you."

"...how do I know this isn't a trick?" Philip asked suspiciously.

"Because I am not the type to chase after an engine, even if I dislike them. I thought you knew me better than that."

The diesel looked down at his buffers.

"Well... I... uh..."

"Just trust me, Philip. I know I wasn't there for you at the Railway Show, for obvious reasons, but I can be here for you now. However, I can't if you won't let me."

Philip thought for a moment and discovered that what Gordon said made sense. He sighed and looked up at him.

"Alright... What's your idea?"

Gordon grinned.

"We're going to outsmart that engine."

Philip smirked.

"Go on..."

* * *

"What?! That's your idea?!"

"Of course. You don't like it?"

"I'll be smashed to bits!"

Gordon had just explained his idea to Philip, and he was now getting more and more anxious about it.

"Nonsense. I'll be here in the goods shed watching. If something goes wrong, I'll intervene. Alright?"

"I still don't like this." Philip wailed, "I mean-"

"Yoo hoo, station pilot!" called an all too familiar voice, "Come out, come out, wherever you are!"

Philip gulped and glanced back at Gordon, who slowly entered the shadow of the goods shed. An old truck raised an eyebrow as he backed next to him and some other old rolling stock.

"Are you going to be here forever like us...?"

Gordon glared at him and shuddered.

"Ugh, smelly, old trucks..."

"I'll take that as a yes."

Philip looked back ahead and slowly rounded the bend. Vinnie's eyes instantly met his, and he grinned wickedly.

"Ah, hello again, boxy..."

The boxcab attempted to hide his fear and looked him in the eye.

"You think I'm afraid of you? Well, not anymore! You're just as much of an engine as I am!"

"Oh, look at the big boy! He's all grown up!" He chuckled, "I'd be impressed... if I didn't hate you."

"You never explained why!"

Vinnie surged forward and banged into him, and he flew into a set of buffers.

"Ow..." the diesel groaned, eyes flying in circles.

Gordon gasped.

"Philip!" he said under his breath so Vinnie couldn't hear.

Vinnie was about to push him through the buffers when Philip flew past him in a burst of fear. The big engine gritted his teeth with irritation as his front rammed into the buffers instead.

"I see you've gotten faster since the show..."

"I am very fast!" Philip needled, "I beat-"

"I don't give one puff of steam who you beat! Probably a steamroller!"

Philip stopped bragging and became scared again.

"My task must be completed... That blasted tank engine and Ashima didn't allow me to push you into the turntable well..." He smirked slyly. "Well, now I can as there's no-one to stop me..."

Philip's eyes bulged but attempted to look calm.

"Can't catch me!" he shouted teasingly and he raced away.

Vinnie growled as he left the siding. Philip noticed how fast he was going and began reversing into another long siding.

"Hah, idiot! You may have speed, but you don't have wits!" Vinnie cackled as he reversed to the points.

Philip couldn't help but giggle.

"Or do I?"

"Huh?"

He silently signaled to Gordon to puff out of the shed. Gordon smirked and slowly made his way to Vinnie's track. Philip chuckled and glanced at the nearby signalbox. The signalman looked up from his book and gasped with horror as he saw Vinnie rumbling down the line.

"Huh?! What's going on?!"

He squinted and saw Vinnie getting closer and closer to Philip.

"Oh no!"

He switched the points and Philip scurried away.

"Bye, bye!"

Vinnie was shocked.

"Hey, that's no fair! You can't leave! Get back here **now**!"

But Philip didn't, and Gordon sneaked up behind him big engine banged into Vinnie, who sailed over the points.

"What?! No, no, no, no, **no** , **no**! Hellllppp!" wailed the American engine.

"Huh. I didn't know I had that much strength," Gordon muttered to himself as he backed into the goods shed again so Vinnie wouldn't see him.

"Are you here forever this time?" the old truck asked.

Gordon rolled his eyes.

Emily was exiting the station with some passengers when she saw Vinnie's situation. She immediately braked and whistled to alert him.

"Look out, Vinnie! You're going to crash!"

Vinnie looked ahead and gasped. The large engine was going too fast to stop, so he smashed straight through the wooden buffers and plowed right into an old, abandoned building.

"Oh, I can't watch!" Emily exclaimed as she slammed her eyes shut.

Molly scurried up in the opposite direction with some empty trucks. The shy engine gasped in horror as she saw the accident unfold.

"Oh, my! What happened, Emily...?"

Emily opened her eyes and winced at the damage.

"It seems Vinnie was bullying Philip and he clumsily smashed into that building over there. It was lucky it's abandoned."

"Oh dear..." said Molly worriedly.

More rubble covered Vinnie as he spat out some debris.

"Ohhhh..." he groaned, "My boiler's smashed..."

"Serves you right!" Philip grinned and he honked his horn with delight.

Gordon chuckled as he slowly puffed out of the goods shed.

"Well done, Philip. You did well."

"I had a good teacher!"

Vinnie glared with hate at Philip.

"I'll get you someday..."

"I doubt you will," the boxcab needled, "You already tried twice and failed! I'd like to see you try though!"

"Would you...?"

"...well, no, but... I still beat you!"

Vinnie just scowled.

* * *

Inside his office, the Fat Controller had heard the noise and glanced out the window. He squinted when he saw Molly and Emily standing still at the station.

"I wonder what's going on..." he muttered as he put on his top hat.

He opened the door and quickly walked over to Emily's track.

"Emily, would you mind explaining why you and Molly are simply idling about instead of delivering your trains?"

Molly's face turned red with embarrassment as Emily chuckled nervously.

"Sorry, sir, but look at the yard! Something's happened!"

The Fat Controller did so and jumped back in surprise when he saw Vinnie in the wreckage.

He gripped his top hat as he stormed towards the yard. Emily and Molly glanced at each other.

"What on earth is going on here?!" he asked severely to Vinnie, "Why have you crashed into a building?!"

Vinnie groaned in somewhat fake pain.

"I... I don't know, sir... Oh, it hurts so much! Will I ever run on the rails again? Will I ever pull another train? Will I be scrap-"

"Vinnie, you're evading the question. It's clear you have something to hide."

Philip scurried up behind him.

"I know what happened, sir!"

The Fat Controller whirled around to face him.

"Do you now?"

"Of course I do! He's the one who bullied me!" Philip declared.

The Fat Controller raised an eyebrow.

"Bullied you?"

Vinnie ground his teeth together.

"Yes, sir!" exclaimed Philip, "We met at the Great Railway Show, and, I suppose, he wanted revenge!"

"What did you do that would warrant revenge?"

"Uh... I bumped into him a couple times, sir... Heh heh..."

The Fat Controller glared at Vinnie, who now looked nervous.

"I see. But how did he crash into the building?"

"Well, sir, he was chasing me, and he thought I was cornered on that siding. However, I rushed out in time, he couldn't stop, and smashed into the building."

"I saw it, too, sir," Emily said from the station, "and so did Molly. Didn't you, Molly?"

Molly's eyes widened as pairs of eyes gazed at her.

"Um... well... I suppose... I mean, uh... yes, I did..." she said anxiously.

The railway controller nodded in thought and then turned back to Vinnie. Vinnie gulped.

"Well, Vinnie, it seems your actions have been exposed. On top of the destruction of property and carelessness, you bully one of my engines! This is unacceptable, Vinnie, and I'd hope that deep down you know it too."

Vinnie only rolled his eyes in response.

"I'll go to the Steamworks to check on Henry once I'm done here. If he's still being fixed, I'm sure I can split his work among my bigger engines, so you won't be working on my railway any longer. I don't want such an engine doing so. The ship can't get here , so I'm afraid you'll have to stay on Sodor until the end of the week. However, you will be confined to a siding without any coal or water, so you can't move until it is time for you to leave. Do I make myself clear?"

"...yes sir," Vinnie mumbled.

Gordon winked at Philip, who winked back.

* * *

Soon, Hank had arrived to help pull Vinnie from the wreckage. He seethed with anger as a chain was attached between them.

"It's engines like you that give our country a bad name," he said darkly, "When will you learn your lesson?"

Vinnie didn't reply, though he did think.

 _Every time I go after that boxcab, I get smashed... Huh... Why even bother... The little bug isn't worth it..._

He glanced at Philip, who was now smirking at him.

"This is what happens when you mess with the wrong engine!" he said.

Vinnie rolled his eyes. By the time Vinnie was pulled out of the wreckage, he was dented, scratched, and in disgrace. He didn't feel sorry for anything that he did, but he did feel rather humiliated.

"Stupid Sudrians..." he muttered, "They did it all on purpose..."

"Well, well, well! Look what we have here!"

Vinnie looked down to find Thomas puffing behind Philip and chuckling.

"I won't ask how this happened because it's pretty clear how it did!"

"Is that so, Thomas?"

Vinnie scowled as Ashima puffed alongside him.

"You..."

"Indian engine? Shouldn't you be that new branch line?" Philip asked.

Ashima giggled.

"I'm still working there, silly. I just came down here to collect some supplies for the yard."

"Oh."

"Indeed it is, Ashima!" Thomas replied cheekily, "Vinnie's a very clumsy engine!"

Ashima smirked at him.

"Indeed he is!"

"Go away, the lot of you," Vinnie demanded, "I want to be alone."

But the two tank engines just laughed.

"Only because you're in disgrace!" Thomas grinned.

"That's what you get for being a bully," Ashima added.

Vinnie just grunted.

* * *

"I'm so bored..."

A week later, Vinnie had been transported by Hank to a coach siding by Knapford, and he immediately grew restless.

"It's your own fault," replied Emily as she puffed past.

Vinnie rolled his eyes. Gordon backed down onto his express coaches on Track 1, which were once again being shunted by Philip. The two engines smiled at each other as Vinnie looked on with disgust.

"Pah! You'd never see me being so silly..." the express engine said smugly.

Just then, a familiar whistle filled the air. Gordon and Philip's faces lit up in anticipation.

"Henry!" cried Gordon.

The green engine came to a halt on the track parallel to Gordon and chuckled.

"In the metal! Finally, they managed to clean out my boiler. So, what did I miss while I was away?"

"Oh, nothing. Just me being tortured by everyone," Vinnie snapped from behind.

Henry looked back and gasped.

" _That's_ who the Fat Controller got to replace me?"

"Not exactly," Gordon replied, "It's a long story. I'll explain tonight."

"Alright then." Henry grinned. "Should be interesting. But why is he banged up like that?"

"He-"

"He crashed into a building!" Philip burst out.

Henry glanced back at Vinnie again and chuckled.

"Well, you may have won the strength competition, but you certainly lost the battle of intelligence!"

The engines laughed and Vinnie just scowled.

"I can't wait to go back home..."

* * *

 **Author's Note** : I know a lot of people don't like Vinnie, but I just couldn't resist. I also developed Diesel and Paxton's story even further because I figured I had to or else people would wonder what happened to them. I wonder if that'll be its own deal later. Hmm...! Fun fact: I actually originally wrote this around July, with Thomas, Donald, and Douglas as the stars alongside Philip. It... wasn't very good, to say the least, so I decided to rework this for this new project. The next installment combines Ashima and Vinnie into... something. I won't say what yet, but... just look out for it whenever that comes. ;) Don't forget to review, though for some reason it isn't displaying the ones from Beauty and the Beast... Huh, I wonder why...


	3. Ashima's First Railway Show

Ashima had just come back to the Construction Yard after collecting some supplies from Knapford. For the first time since the last railway show, she had seen Vinnie, and couldn't resist teasing him a little after hearing about his accident. However, she was still surprised to see him on Sodor and knowing that he was on the same railway as she was made her a little worried. She came to a halt at the yard and whistled to signal she had arrived.

"Oh, I'm coming!"

Ashima grinned as Jack scurried up to the line.

"Thanks for the supplies, Ashima," said the front loader, "Setting up this new location for storage will do very well for Ms. Jenny."

"I'm sure it will," said Ashima; she had gotten to know the front loader well by this time and found his personality quite endearing.

Her smile faltered and she sighed. Jack raised an eyebrow.

"Are you alright? Is it me talking about the Construction Yard? I mean I know Ned falls asleep when I do but-"

Ashima snapped out of her thoughts and chuckled sheepishly.

"No, it's not that at all. I'm just thinking..."

"Oh, okay. If you say so," the front loader replied as Ashima was uncoupled.

The Indian engine was about to leave when Jack honked his horn urgently. She quickly stopped and glanced at him.

"What's wrong?"

"The foreman has a message for you, apparently," Jack replied as the foreman ran up to her.

"Ashima, Ryan is busy dealing with his own work, and Daisy is handling the passengers fine for now. So, I need you to pick up a delivery of supplies that has come in at Knapford Harbour."

"You seem to be getting a lot of supplies recently," Ashima remarked.

"I know. It's good for the company, though. Now, move along, or you'll be late."

"Oh! Sorry, sir," said Ashima as she began puffing away.

"Sir, did Ashima seem a little... on edge to you?" Jack asked worriedly.

The foreman turned around and smiled reassuringly.

"I wouldn't worry about it, Jack. I'm sure she's fine."

"If you say so..." the front loader murmured, glancing out in Ashima's direction.

* * *

To get to the harbour, Ashima had to pass Knapford Station. She wasn't quite looking forward to it since she knew Vinnie was still confined to a siding.

"I guess I'll just get it over with..." she told herself.

Vinnie eyed her angrily as she began passing him.

"Hey, Miss Perfect!" he called.

Ashima braked and glared at him.

"Spare me, Vinnie. I have a job to do."

"Oh, you just don't want to hear it! I see how it is. Everyone can call _me_ whatever they want when I crash, but when someone tries to call you out, they get ignored!"

Ashima's face flushed.

"That's entirely different from your situation. I don't go around bullying little engines!"

Vinnie scowled.

"Shut up!"

Ashima couldn't help but smirk.

"Why? So you can hide from your own mistakes and experiences?"

"That's what you do..." Vinnie retorted bitterly.

Ashima's smirk slipped off her face.

"That... That's not... I..."

She didn't finish as she quickly puffed away, emotions swelling in her. Vinnie just chuckled.

* * *

Thomas slowly puffed into Knapford Harbour with a few trucks of stone from Ffarquhar Quarry. He had just come to a halt when Ashima pulled in with her empty train.

"Ashima! You're here!" the blue tank engine exclaimed with surprise.

Ashima smiled weakly as she stopped by the loading dock.

"Yes, I am, Thomas. It's good to see you."

Thomas frowned, noticing that she didn't have her usual demeanor.

"Is something wrong?"

Ashima sighed.

"Is it that obvious?"

"You're usually a jovial engine, so... yes, yes it is."

Ashima chuckled wryly.

"I suppose..." She glanced up at Thomas. "Just before I got here, I met up with Vinnie at Knapford."

Thomas immediately grimaced.

"What did he say?" he said, not sure if he wanted to know.

"Not much, admittedly, but you know how his words can cut through you."

"Er... yes. He can be ruthless."

"Well, what he said did make me feel a bit ashamed of my past mistakes..."

"Why would you feel ashamed? I know I've certainly made my own. Once, I crashed into a stationmaster's house!"

Ashima giggled with amusement but then sighed.

"I understand, but I feel _my_ mistakes were very bad... Even worse than that."

"Were they immoral things?"

"Not exactly, but I do wish I could've handled certain things better... They were mostly about Vinnie and how his bullying impacted me." She paused, wanting to choose her words carefully.

"I've kept this locked in my funnel for quite some time, Thomas. I've been meaning to tell someone, but I've felt too ashamed to. You're the only one I really know on this island, and the one I trust the most."

"I'm not sure if I deserve that but thanks!"

"This may be a long story so... I hope you don't mind."

"Well, as long as you're comfortable with it."

Ashima gave a small smile and cleared her throat.

"I remember when I was first nominated..."

* * *

A young Ashima backed into a berth at the sheds at Mettupalayam Station, on the Nilgiri Mountain Railway.

"Why did the controller ask for me?" she asked worriedly as she let off steam, "Am I in trouble?"

A similar-looking X Class locomotive was also in the shed, and she smiled warmly at her.

"I doubt it. You're one of the most well-behaved engines on the line."

"I'd hope so, Alisha," said Ashima, "I can't imagine being the worst one. That would be terrible..."

Just then, the Indian railway controller walked up to the two engines.

"Ah, Ashima," he said, pointing a finger at her, "You're going to have a very special surprise!"

Ashima smiled with relief.

"Oh, thank goodness, sir. What is it? A repaint?"

The controller cleared his throat and grinned.

"Even better than that. I have been asked to send one of my engines to compete in this year's Great Railway Show, so I'm nominating you!"

Alisha and Ashima both gasped, albeit for different reasons.

"The Great Railway Show?!" Ashima burst out in alarm.

"You're such a lucky engine!" Alisha cried excitedly, "I've always wanted to go, but never got the chance to!"

"Well, um... Y-y-yes..."

Both the controller and Alisha could see that Ashima was turning a little pale.

"What's wrong, Ashima? One would think you'd be excited about something like this," the controller said.

Ashima looked down at her buffers.

"I can't deny what an honor it is, sir, but... that's just it. I don't think I'm qualified for such a big event. I mean, the only thing I have going for myself is my paintwork."

"You are very popular with tourists," Alisha remarked, "People already love you. There's no reason you can't take that to a larger scale."

Ashima gulped. The controller sighed.

"I understand, but you are also a very good shunter. I'm sure you can win."

"B-But... Can it not be too late to send someone else?"

The controller shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Ashima, but you've already been registered, and it's too late to change it. I'm afraid you'll just have to go."

Alisha looked kindly at her.

"Don't worry, sister. I'm sure you'll make us all proud!"

Ashima attempted to smile, but deep inside alarms were ringing in her head.

* * *

"Alisha's a good friend, and sister too since we're the same class. I'm looking forward to seeing her again when I go back home."

She paused, making sure Thomas was still paying attention. Seeing that he was, she continued.

"I was taken to a port called Nagapattanam-"

"That's the name of a port?!"

Ashima smirked.

"Yes, Thomas, India is very different from Sodor. Anyway, there I was loaded onto a ship that was to take me to England. Not much happened on that trip, as far as I can remember, though I do recall panicking a little... When I got to England, that's when it got even worse..."

* * *

There was a dock by the Great Railway Show's yard, so all of the competitors could be unloaded off of their ships and taken to their event quickly and efficiently. Ashima had already been taken off the boat by one of their cranes and she was beginning to be lowered down to the English rails. She slowly opened her eyes, but immediately slammed them shut again as she saw that her wheels were up in the air.

"Get me down, please! I don't like swinging about up here!"

"You're alright!" called a voice from below, "Just don't look down!"

Ashima didn't even look in any other direction as her wheels touched the rails.

"I don't like this... Please, I want to go back home! I can't stand this pressure!"

"It'll be fine, I assure you."

Curious as to who the speaker was, Ashima slowly opened an eye.

She nearly jumped off the rails as she found a smiling yellow-and-red diesel standing by her.

"Ah, glad to see you can finally see me! Sorry if I gave you a bit of a fright."

Ashima didn't reply as she gazed at her new surroundings. The diesel cleared his throat in an attempt to gain her attention.

"Welcome to the famous Great Railway Show! What country are you from?"

"I-India..." she replied nervously.

"Right. What challenge will you be competing in?"

"I-I believe before I left my controller said it'll be the shunting challenge..."

The diesel grinned.

"Ah, then your event won't be until last! That gives you time to get used to the yard and all the other engines. I suppose that'll be good for a newcomer such as yourself."

Ashima weakly smiled; at least her welcome wasn't as awful as she had , she decided to have the courage to break out of her shell.

"What's your name? Mine's Ashima."

The diesel's eyes rolled back and forth as if trying to find one.

"Well, uh... Gronk," the diesel said, appearing to be a little embarrassed.

Ashima raised an eyebrow.

"Gronk?"

"It's the name I came up with myself, you see; my manager never bothered to give myself or my brothers a proper name."

"There are more of you?"

"Of course. About... four more, I believe. You'll come across them shunting the trains for the competitors. They don't talk as much as I do but they're fine engines all the same."

"I see. It was nice talking to you, Gronk."

Ashima whistled and slowly puffed away.

Gronk just smiled.

* * *

Ashima gasped in amazement as she puffed through the entrance. Engines from all over the world had come to compete, and she immediately became a little anxious. She was already rather quiet and reserved back in India, but now she was thrust into a completely new environment, without anyone familiar to give her aid.

"I'll just try and stay in the background..." she decided, "I just know I'll embarrass myself if I try to talk to anyone."

Ashima observed a small, green, Icelandic tank engine that bore the name "Pioner".

He glanced at her, and the Indian engine quickly looked away. Pioner rolled his eyes. Glancing to her left, Ashima saw a South African Class 25NC 4-8-4 locomotive slowly trundling along the line.

"Wow..." she gasped in awe, noticing his size; he was one of the biggest engines she had ever engine heard the sound of a voice and looked back to see who it was. Quickly, he observed the surprised Ashima and raised an eyebrow at her.

"Who are _you_ supposed to be?" he asked, a little bitter.

Ashima immediately froze, not sure what to do.

"I, u-uh... M-my name is Ashima."

The engine couldn't help but laugh.

"Oh, that is quite humorous. Such a small engine at the Railway Show! Move along, and make room for _us_ , will you? Some of us important engines actually have to puff without a small engine in the way."

Ashima lowered her brow as the big engine rushed away.

"Huh! Rude..."

"Get used to it," muttered Pioner as he slowly puffed past, "All the big engines around here are like that."

Ashima winced; she wasn't sure whether to trust what Pioner had said, but the suggestion alone made her boiler run cold.

* * *

The African engine slowly puffed under the coal hopper.

Coal began to fall into his tender as Vinnie pulled up alongside him.

"Give me some coal too, will ya Karahi? I need enough to win this thing," the American engine said smugly.

Karahi rolled his eyes.

"You always say that Vinnie."

"That's because it's true. I will win, no doubt about it."

Karahi lightly chuckled.

"Are you laughing at me?" Vinnie snapped, "I'll have you know I can pull a lot more than you ever can!"

"It's not at you, Vinnie. Stop being so sensitive."

Vinnie grunted.

"Then what is it about then...?"

"I just recalled meeting a quaint little engine called 'Ashima', or something along those lines. She's new here, and rather nervous. Quite amusing to watch, really."

Vinnie chuckled darkly.

"Well, _that's_ interesting... A fresh target at last. If this is only a tank engine, this should be easy..."

Karahi raised both eyebrows as he could hear the slow puffing of a tank engine. He snickered as he could see Ashima attempting to pass them without being noticed.

"Well, _hello_!"

Ashima froze in place and gulped; someone drawing attention to her was one of her worst fears. She glanced at them, noticing the American engine for the first time.

"Um, h-hello," she stuttered, trying not to sound fragile.

Vinnie smirked, seeing right through her attempted facade.

"Hello there, little one. What are you doing here? Did you get lost? Should we contact your controller?" he asked as innocently as he could manage.

This made Ashima rather offended, and she momentarily forgot her pledge to not speak to anyone.

"It's clear you're acting condescending," she replied stoutly, "Is it only because I'm a tank engine?"

"Oh, _no_ , I would _never_ do that to a _tank_ engine," Vinnie said sarcastically, and he looked closely at her size.

He smirked, and Ashima grimaced, trying to prepare for some kind of hurtful insult.

"I'm sure you're much weaker than I am, though! Just watch me in today's strength contest, Ashima! I can pull ten of your kind easily!"

He cackled as he steamed over to the area where the strength competition was to be held.

"Well, someone's upset," Karahi chuckled, observing Ashima's facial expressions, "What's the matter? Too delicate to handle honest criticism?"

"What you said is _not_ honest criticism."

Karahi and Ashima were both surprised to find Yong Bao slowly backing down alongside him.

"Oh really? How would you figure that?" Karahi smirked.

"Criticism and bullying are too separate things," the Chinese engine said firmly, "It is clear you and Vinnie don't know the difference."

Karahi rolled his eyes as he steamed away.

"I'll have plenty of 'criticism' for you when you lose to me! Ha ha ha..."

Yong Bao glanced at Ashima, who still looked a little upset.

"Ni hao," he said kindly, "My name is Yong Bao. What's yours?"

The Indian engine looked up, not entirely trusting him.

"Ashima..." she said quietly.

Yong Bao smiled.

"What a fine name. I see you've become the new target of Vinnie and Karahi."

Ashima sighed sadly.

"Yes, I suppose I have..."

"I myself have gotten used to Vinnie's attitude, even if it can be rather discouraging. My advice is to not listen to a word he says. As for Karahi, he simply follows him because he doesn't want to be the victim himself. I confronted him about it once and he told me everything."

This was news to Ashima.

"So... he's not really a bully then?"

"He's a bit aggressive, but if Vinnie wasn't around, he'd probably be a different engine. However, Vinnie's a different story altogether. I'm not sure why he does what he does. I suppose the heat of a competition can get to him."

Vinnie had heard a chunk of what Yong Bao had said and glared at him.

"I heard that!" he snapped, "There's no competition here at all! It's all too easy! It's obvious who'll win. Me!"

"I won the first strength competition, amigo," Carlos said smugly as he backed down to the track right of him.

Vinnie glared at the Mexican engine.

"Maybe, but that was the very first Great Railway Show, and there were barely any engines there anyhow. There are much bigger and stronger engines today, old timer. Like me."

Ashima started to feel a little scared as the big engines continued to banter. Yong Bao seemed wise, but it became clear that some of the big engines were indeed hostile, similar to what Pioner had said. Ashima was especially worried about Vinnie; not only was he egotistical, but seemed to relish in putting down others.

"I hope he doesn't come after me again..." she said aloud.

She managed to puff away without being noticed this time, as Vinnie and Karahi were dealing with Yong Bao and Carlos. Ashima chuffed forward, hoping this time that nobody would see her and try and strike up a conversation.

"That's utter nonsense! You didn't beat me!" said a distant male voice.

"I believe I did," said a female voice.

"Prove it..."

"Just ask Pioner. I'm sure he can say who really did beat you. Can you guess who? Me!"

"Goodness, everyone here is so competitive," Ashima thought.

Puffing around a slight curve, she observed a little green Italian tank engine chuckling with a Brazilian vertical boiler engine.

"Well, you better be ready this year," Raul snickered, "You'll have to be in good shape to beat me."

"Is that so?"

"Oh, yes. I've been practicing."

Gina chuckled.

"Really? So have I. Just watch."

Gina whistled and banged into some tankers, which flew into some 's jaw dropped as the green engine backed alongside him smirked cheekily.

"Can _you_ do that?"

"Uh... well..."

"Exactly. I'm going to beat you easily!"

"Huh! I'd like to see you try."

"We'll see today, won't we?"

"Indeed we will..."

Gina looked around curiously.

"Say, who's the fourth competitor?"

Raul raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, there's you, me, and Pioner, but no fourth engine."

"Are you sure? I thought Filiberto from Cuba would be competing with us again."

"I overheard from Axel that he was gravely ill, and couldn't make the trip."

"Well, that's a shame. Does that mean we have..." He shuddered a little with disgust. "...a new engine?"

Ashima gasped, a little too loudly. Raul heard this and glanced back. He immediately scowled.

"Speak of the devil I suppose! A new engine's come to compete with us after all! And we could've gotten Filiberto... I doubt _she_ has what it takes against _us_."

Ashima's face reddened with embarrassment; she hadn't expected Gina or Raul to hear her, and she was already flustered by her "talk" with Vinnie.

"Don't be shy!" Gina cried encouragingly, "Raul was just kidding! He doesn't really think like that!"

"Uh, I actually do-"

"Shut up."

Gina swiftly backed down next to Ashima and smiled.

"Ciao! My name is Gina! Are you competing with us in the shunting challenge later?"

"I, um... uh... I believe so, heh heh..." said Ashima awkwardly.

Where the three tank engines were located wasn't too far away from where the big engines had overheard everything and smirked slyly.

"So... she's socially awkward, eh? Even better..."

"Are you listening to me, Vinnie?" Carlos asked, annoyed.

"Huh? Uh... yeah, sure, whatever."

"Get ready folks!" said the announcer, "We have the strength competition in just a few moments! Get your refreshments quickly if you want to see this event!"

"No time to chit chat now," Carlos remarked, "Time to compete!"

Vinnie chuckled.

"More like time for me to win..."

Gina glanced back.

"Oh, time for the strength competition! Let's watch before our event starts!"

Raul and Gina began puffing away, but the Italian engine stopped and glanced at Ashima.

"Do you want to watch too?" she asked hopefully.

Ashima sighed.

"I suppose it's better than being all alone... Alright."

Gina grinned as Ashima slowly began backing down next to her. Ashima attempted to smile at her but immediately frowned worriedly as she gazed at the big engines. The green flag was waved and the engines began to pull. Carlos frowned as Vinnie quickly pulled in front of everyone else.

"And Vinnie immediately takes the lead! Not too shocking, I must admit, folks! Just look at the size of him!"

Vinnie smirked as the crowd cheered.

"Heh heh, thank you, thank you. You're all too kind. Really, you are, it's starting to annoy me."

He slowed down slightly and grinned with satisfaction when he saw Ashima's jaw drop.

"See this, rainbow? _This_ is what a real engine can do! I'm the strongest engine in the world!"

Gina giggled as Ashima watched on intently.

"Are you sure about that?"

Vinnie looked up and gasped in horror.

"Well, folks, this is certainly a sudden change of events! Vinnie's now in second place, with Karahi passing him by a few meters! This is definitely exciting folks, and also shows why you shouldn't flaunt your strength to brightly painted engines. This is a very useful lesson," said the announcer.

"No, Karahi!" Vinnie cried desperately, "Get back here! You have to let me win!"

Karahi chuckled.

"Why don't you try and come here then, eh?"

Vinnie tried to puff faster, but the coupling strained and his cheeks grew red.

"I must win! I must win!" he panted heavily, wheels slowly turning.

Karahi snickered as he got ever farther away from him.

"You're not even trying, are you?"

"I am!" Vinnie burst out, nearly screaming, "You can't win! Forfeit for me! Forfeit! At least slow down so there's competition!"

"What's that? I thought there wasn't any competition here...!"

"Shut up! This is your fault! You always have to act like you're the best when really you're the worst one out there!"

Karahi glared at Vinnie icily, which made him a little uncomfortable.

"Look who's talking," he said simply.

"And what a comeback folks! I'm using this with my friends later!" said the announcer distantly.

Vinnie's face contorted to an expression of rage.

"I will win!" he burst out, with newfound strength.

He attempted to pull harder, and slowly began to gain on Karahi. Karahi gasped in surprise and also started to pull harder. The finish line was only a few more wheelturns away.

"I. Will. **Win**!" Vinnie burst out desperately.

"No. You. **Won't**!" Karahi cried triumphantly.

Ashima's eyes widened as the two engines got ever closer to the line.

"Oh, he's almost there now! It looks like Karahi's going to take it!" the announcer cried anxiously.

" **No**!" wailed Vinnie.

The crowd gasped with suspense as Vinnie almost caught up with Karahi. However, it just wasn't enough, and Karahi's front wheels rolled over the line first. Vinnie's face turned pale as the crowd cheered immensely.

"What a way to kick off this year's railway show, folks! Karahi's in first, Vinnie second, Carlos third, and Yong Bao fourth. Join us in a few minutes for our next event: The Shunting Challenge!"

Ashima gulped, though she tried to make not too noticeable. Vinnie gritted his teeth as Gina began to chuckle heartily.

"What was that about you winning?" the Italian engine chortled, "Because it's pretty clear you lost."

"I was going to win..." Vinnie muttered; he was so distraught by the turn of events that he didn't even muster much of a response.

"Oh, I doubt that, but it's cute you think you could've."

Gina, Raul, and Carlos began to laugh as Vinnie's face reddened. Karahi snickered too.

"Guess I'm the strongest engine in the world instead of you."

This was too much for Vinnie; he bit his lip in an attempt to not burst into a fit of rage. Yong Bao frowned as he puffed up to the finish line.

"Vinnie?" he asked quietly.

Vinnie could only hear the laughter of the others and the crowd cheering for Karahi instead of him. Then, one particular sound drowned out the others. Ashima began to nervously giggle, which slowly turned into a more confident fit of laughter; she found the situation rather amusing and thought it would be alright to laugh as some of the others were as well.

"Karma works in mysterious ways!" she remarked loudly, causing Gina to grin; slowly, it seemed, she was breaking out of her shell. However, it came at just the wrong moment. Both of Vinnie's eyes twitched as she glared with hatred at the brightly painted engine. Slowly, he began to puff forward.

"Vinnie, what are you doing?" Karahi asked in shock.

Vinnie didn't even look at him; his eyes were glued to Ashima as he started to puff onto her gasped as he noticed this.

"Ashima, stop it! You're making him angry!"

Ashima didn't hear him over her own laughter.

"Ashima, I'm serious! _Run_!"

Vinnie clenched his teeth angrily as his wheels began to roll faster and faster towards her.

" **You better run**!" he shouted angrily, finally snapping Ashima out of her fit of giggles. As soon as she had stopped, she realized the situation she was color drained from her as she saw the American engine preparing to bash into her. Perspiration leaked onto her face as she trembled with terror.

"I've had **enough of this**. First, them... Now, **you**. **You**!"

Ashima froze in shock and couldn't even speak as a fire sparked in Vinnie's eyes. Suddenly, a short but loud whistle cut Vinnie off from his deed. He felt a coupling latch onto his own and looked back in surprise to find Yong Bao pulling him back from Ashima.

"Snap of it, you fool! Do you want to be banned?!"

"No, I've had enough! I don't need you idiotic 'wisdom'!"

"If you keep getting into these enraged states, you'll hurt someone, or even yourself!"

"Why should you care?!"

" **Run**!" Yong Bao cried to Ashima, completely ignoring Vinnie.

"Answer me!"

Ashima didn't need to be told twice; her wheels spun faster and faster as the terrified engine reversed away to the shunting yard. Vinnie growled.

"If you **ever** get in my way again, I'll smash ya! **You hear me? You're gonna get smashed!**!"

His voice echoed around the yard as Ashima backed into a shadow.

Gina bit her lip as she began puffing after her.

"Ashima, wait for me!"

"What are you doing?" Raul asked worriedly.

"Just stay there! You aren't tactful!" Gina replied firmly.

"Huh... Er... She's right, isn't she..."

* * *

Ashima raced backwards as fast as she could, suddenly hitting some buffers. She cried out in horror and slammed her eyes shut, still afraid of Vinnie coming after her.

"Ashima? Are you over there?"

"Go away! I can't! I just can't!"

"It's only me, Ashima."

Hearing the Italian accent, Ashima's eyes fluttered open as she saw Gina backing down alongside her.

"I thought staying on the same track as you would interfere with your personal space," the Italian engine remarked.

"T-thanks... I-I guess..."

Gina winced as Ashima's face retained its pale color.

"I-I knew he was m-mean, but... I-I didn't think he would try and a-attack me..." Ashima stuttered, trying to hold back tears.

"I'm truly sorry about that... Vinnie has anger management issues, to say the least. He's already quite aggressive and a bit of a bully without them. However, he gets even worse when he lets his anger get the better of him."

"I-I saw that... B-but... W-why? Why is he like that?"

"I'm not sure. Nobody's really known," Gina admitted, "He's too stubborn for anyone to get any information out of him. I highly doubt he'd explain even if someone did manage to get his attention."

"But..."

Gina waited for Ashima to attempt to say something, but the announcer clearing his throat interrupted the conversation.

"And we're back folks, with the shunting challenge! It'll begin very shortly. In five minutes, as a matter of fact! You better hurry up with shunting those trains, show shunters!"

Gina gasped immediately and began puffing away.

"Our event is in five minutes?! We better get moving!"

"Wait! But..."

Gina braked and looked back worriedly.

"What's the matter?"

"I... I don't think I can do it..."

Gina tried to smile reassuringly.

"That's nonsense, and you know it. Come on. Maybe you'll win!"

Gina puffed away again before Ashima could reply. The colorful engine sighed as she too left the siding, warily glancing at Vinnie.

* * *

Slowly, Ashima came to a halt on her track, alongside Gina. Pioner looked up and glanced at her.

"Oh, it's you again. I suppose you had to participate in some event... Don't get too excited, though. Gina _always_ wins..."

Gina rolled her eyes.

"Not always."

"You do too. Don't try and make me feel like I can win. I know I can't."

"Well... maybe I won't this year, and you will instead."

"You're only saying that because-"

"Pioner, shut up. Honestly, you can be so depressing at times."

Pioner scoffed.

"Alright, it's your loss..."

Raul snickered.

"He's right, you know," he said, smirking at Gina.

Gina glared daggers at Raul.

"Don't _you_ start!"

Ashima, however, wasn't listening to the conversation; instead, she was watching Gronk finishing his shunting. Gronk quickly completed his task and flashed a smile at Ashima. Ashima tried to smile back, but clearly looked nervous.

"Go!" cried a voice.

Ashima jumped and quickly began puffing towards her first truck. Gronk watched with interest as she banged into a tanker.

"You're doing well already!" Gina said with approval as she herself began pushing a truck.

Ashima smiled weakly.

"Thanks."

Gina smirked at Pioner.

"See? Ashima may win... you probably won't though!"

"That doesnt make me feel better..."

Raul scoffed.

"Her? Win? I doubt that!"

Ashima winced as she began shunting her second truck. Vinnie's eyes narrowed as he puffed next to the shunting yard. Karahi slowly chuffed alongside. Vinnie glared at him, but said nothing.

"Go, Ashima!" called Gronk, honking his horn.

Pioner rolled his eyes as he rushed to get his second truck.

"So unprofessional..."

"A lot like you," Gina quipped.

Ashima wasn't paying attention to the others though; she was focused on the task at hand.

Flying Scotsman and Mallard were puffing along together to prepare for The Great Race. Flying Scotsman raised an eyebrow as he noticed Ashima vigorously banging into some trucks.

"Look at this engine, Mallard," he said, "She's new, it seems, but she might be able to win."

Mallard squinted at Ashima and Gina, who were both on their fourth truck at this time.

"Gina seems to be catching up quickly," he commented.

Ashima gasped as Gina puffed by her.

The Italian engine dropped off her tanker and began rushing for her fifth one.

Ashima panted as she banged into the trucks she had collected thus far.

"After such a strong opening, Ashima seems to now be in second place, as Gina is now in first!" the announcer said.

Vinnie smirked as Ashima desperately tried to catch up to Gina, but the little green tank engine was very agile.

"Points!" she cried, rushing in front of Raul.

Raul gritted his teeth in frustration.

"Gina!"

Gina giggled as she pushed her sixth truck into her train.

Axel raised an eyebrow as he and Frieda puffed up. Frieda grinned.

"At last, the females are beading zoze blasted male engines. The reffoluzion has begun!" she cried fiercely.

Axel lowered his eyelids.

"And now Gina's on her ninth truck! Goodness me, all she needs is her brakevan! Looks like she'll win again, folks!" the announcer cried.

Ashima gasped to herself.

"I'm only on my eighth truck!"

"Looks like you'll lose after all," Pioner muttered as he banged into his sixth.

Ashima tried to puff faster but Gina was already being coupled up to her brakevan. She grinned broadly as she rammed into the train. Everyone gasped as the announcer cleared his throat.

"And the winner is... Gina from Italy!"

The crowd erupted into more cheers as Gina grinned broadly.

"Told you she would win..." Pioner scowled.

Ashima smiled sadly at Gina.

"Nicely done, Gina," she remarked.

Gina chuckled.

"You did well too, credo."

She noticed her sad expression and smiled in an attempt to cheer her up.

"Don't feel bad, Ashima. Maybe you'll win next time!"

"Maybe."

"Oh, **this is too much**!"

Ashima looked back in horror to find Vinnie rushing towards her.

"When **I** lose, everyone just assumes I'm **weak** , but when **you** lose... 'Oh, you'll do better next time!'" Vinnie mimicked, "You always get special treatment while an actual **engine** such as myself gets the shaft! I can't take it anymore!"

Ashima's face lost its color again as the big engine rammed into her. The Indian engine bumped into what she had of her train. Yong Bao gasped.

"Vinnie, stop it!"

Vinnie glared at the Chinese engine fiercely.

"No, I've had enough of you! Your stupid advice never helped me then, and it certainly won't help me now!"

He looked back at his prey, who was trembling with fear.

"As for **you** ," Vinnie thundered, "I may have lost that stupid competition, but I can **win against a useless engine like you**."

"U-u-useless?" Ashima stuttered.

"Now what would make an engine like her useless?" Axel asked crossly, "I have never met her before but she seems nice enough, no?"

"That's because she can't even shunt correctly. She's **weak** ," Vinnie snapped, "And she pretends like she's perfect just to cover up her true self. She has no purpose; all she has is that petty paintwork, so she literally has none whatsoever. A broken. Pathetic. **Waste**!"

Vinnie's last word boomed around the yard. Flying Scotsman and Mallard glanced at each other gasped; everyone's eyes were on her, and she sniffed had never been the subject of attention from a large crowd before, and the fact she was just beaten down didn't help matters. Her eyes began to water as her eyes darted to each engine. Vinnie's scowl softened a little as tears started to streak down the Indian engine's face.

"He's right..." she said, choking up, "I am useless..."

She began to cry more loudly and all the engines' eyes shifted to Vinnie, who squirmed. Yong Bao lowered his brow.

"I can't believe even someone like you would stoop this low. Going after an innocent engine like this..."

"Indeed. Going after ein female is zuch ein felony," Frieda murmured, "Just look at the poor dear!"

Vinnie looked at Ashima; completely vulnerable, shaking, and still weeping. He cringed a little for a moment, though immediately turned cold again.

"You already lost most of your dignity when you threw that tantrum when Karahi won," agreed Carlos bitterly, "and this just destroyed any you might have had."

Vinnie gaped.

"No-"

"What is there to not understand?" Gina spoke up, "You hate this engine for some reason, and you drove her to tears."

"No! I-it's not-"

"It is too, and don't you claim it isn't. Leave my friend alone **now**!"

Vinnie was slightly shaken by Gina; he hadn't expected such range from a tank , he began to back away from the whimpering Indian warily watched him do so.

"You made the right decision," she said sternly.

The other engines glared at him as they began puffing away.

"Wait, come back! Let me explain!"

"Zere's nothing to explain..." Frieda spat.

"You made us all ashamed," Flying Scotsman finished as he puffed away with Mallard, who coldly stared at him.

Hearing that from one of the most famous locomotives in the world was too much. Vinnie glowered at Gina and Ashima.

"This is all your fault..." he muttered as he slowly reversed away.

Gina rolled her eyes and looked back at Ashima, still in her depressed winced as slowly she puffed alongside her.

"It's alright... He's gone..."

Ashima opened her eyes to find everyone else had gone.

"It's not him being there that made me cry, Gina... It's the things he said..."

"I know... He can be rather hurtful... I'm sure he didn't mean it, though."

"Even so, he's right... He's completely right..."

Saying her thoughts out loud made, even more, tears come to her eyes.

"That's rubbish and you know it," Gina said firmly, "I don't know everything about you exactly, but you're certainly not useless."

"What makes you say that?" Ashima replied glumly.

"Well, if you didn't have a use, you wouldn't even be here."

"B-but... I lost anyhow... The one thing I thought I was good at..."

"You are good at it! You came in second, and this is your first time competing! That's legitimately impressive, is it not?"

"But... he embarrassed me in front of everyone... They all hate me now because they know what he said was true..."

"On the contrary, everyone seemed to sympathize with you. I mean, they all turned on Vinnie. You just couldn't hear it over your crying."

She paused, noticing Ashima's crying had stopped.

"You know, back in my railway in Italy, I had a friend who once said that to achieve my goals, I just had to be who I was. Be proud of who you are, and if you do think something needs to be improved, then do it if you choose to. But never believe you're a waste."

Ashima sniffed and smiled weakly at Gina.

"Thanks, Gina... That is good advice."

Gina grinned.

"I know. Never forget that, and you'll go far."

* * *

Ashima sighed as she snapped back to the present. Thomas was shocked.

"You didn't sound the same as you do today," he remarked.

Ashima giggled.

"I was much younger back then, silly."

"That is relatively evident," Thomas smirked. He then immediately frowned. "I never realize you went through all of that... I'm sorry."

The Indian tank engine smiled weakly.

"It's alright, Thomas. It was years ago anyhow."

"Of course, but... you still seem to be a bit scarred by Vinnie's outburst to this day. I mean, you did tear up while talking about it..."

"It wasn't really just his outburst that got to me; my rather silly reaction to it didn't help matters."

"I wouldn't say it was silly; I probably would've done the same if I was younger and had to deal with a horrible engine like that."

Just then, Thomas' guard blew her whistle. Thomas looked back to make sure the green flag was waving, then glanced back at his friend.

"I have to go now, I'm afraid. Let me know if anything new develops."

Ashima grinned.

"I will. See you later, Thomas!"

The foreign engine whistled and began puffing away back to the Construction Yard.

* * *

Vinnie sat alone on his siding, sighing as he saw Henry pull into the station with The green engine smirked at him as he let off rolled his eyes and looked , he didn't even have a moment to himself when a familiar whistle blew.

"Oh, lovely... It's **you** , again. One would think you'd be crying in the corner by now... Heh heh heh..."

Ashima braked and glared at him raised both eyebrows; in all his time of knowing her, he'd never gotten such a reaction.

"Vinnie, I don't want to deal with your nonsense anymore. I've let your words from my first railway show haunt me for too long, and I'm fed up with it."

Vinnie attempted a wry chuckle.

"I'm sure that'll last long...!"

A fire flashed in Ashima's eyes that he hadn't seen before.

"You'll be surprised," she smirked as she began puffing to the platform.

Both Henry and Vinnie's jaws dropped. The green engine then grinned broadly.

"Well done, Ashima. You sure showed him!"

Vinnie growled but could say nothing as Ashima had almost winced as memories came flooding back to him.

* * *

The sun was setting, and Vinnie looked around; everyone had gone... except for heaved a sigh as he chided himself for his rather aggressive actions.

"Why does this happen. It's all her fault... It's **all her fault**..." he screamed.

As much as he would like to believe what he said, deep down in his boiler, he knew it wasn't true.

"It is... **It is**! It has to be! It's a double standard! It is! They all prefer her and always label me as the bad guy! Why?! What did I do to deserve this?!"

Deep down, he knew the answer to this too but tried not to think about was so furious that he didn't even realize a few small tears were welling up in his eyes. Unable to contain his fury any longer, he let out a final shout of anger. A crow on a nearby telephone wire squawked and flew into the evening sky.

* * *

 **Author's Note** : I'm very sorry this one took so long, guys. It took a while to think of good ideas, but I think this shed some light on a lot of international engines, whether they are supporting characters or main ones. Gina, Raul, Frieda and Yong Bao especially were pretty fun characters. And yes, I did create two (three if you want to count Filiberto) new international characters. I thought it'd be unrealistic if the same competitors did each match, so some characters are swapped out. I do hope you enjoy this one. Leave a review and look forward to the next chapter! Let's just say... I'm full of surprises! ;)


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